True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea
Abstract Submarine slope failure can mobilize large amounts of seafloor sediment, as shown in varied offshore locations around the world. Submarine landslide volumes are usually estimated by mapping their tops and bases on seismic data. However, two essential components of the total volume of failed...
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Wiley
2018-03-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076484 |
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| author | Qiliang Sun Tiago M. Alves Xiangyang Lu Chuanxu Chen Xinong Xie |
| author_facet | Qiliang Sun Tiago M. Alves Xiangyang Lu Chuanxu Chen Xinong Xie |
| author_sort | Qiliang Sun |
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| description | Abstract Submarine slope failure can mobilize large amounts of seafloor sediment, as shown in varied offshore locations around the world. Submarine landslide volumes are usually estimated by mapping their tops and bases on seismic data. However, two essential components of the total volume of failed sediments are overlooked in most estimates: (a) the volume of subseismic turbidites generated during slope failure and (b) the volume of shear compaction occurring during the emplacement of failed sediment. In this study, the true volume of a large submarine landslide in the northern South China Sea is estimated using seismic, multibeam bathymetry and Ocean Drilling Program/Integrated Ocean Drilling Program well data. The submarine landslide was evacuated on the continental slope and deposited in an ocean basin connected to the slope through a narrow moat. This particular character of the sea floor provides an opportunity to estimate the amount of strata remobilized by slope instability. The imaged volume of the studied landslide is ~1035 ± 64 km3, ~406 ± 28 km3 on the slope and ~629 ± 36 km3 in the ocean basin. The volume of subseismic turbidites is ~86 km3 (median value), and the volume of shear compaction is ~100 km3, which are ~8.6% and ~9.7% of the landslide volume imaged on seismic data, respectively. This study highlights that the original volume of the failed sediments is significantly larger than that estimated using seismic and bathymetric data. Volume loss related to the generation of landslide‐related turbidites and shear compaction must be considered when estimating the total volume of failed strata in the submarine realm. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-98b44c8b21b84540b5ea4feefca3b91d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-98b44c8b21b84540b5ea4feefca3b91d2024-12-20T12:14:58ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-03-014562642265110.1002/2017GL076484True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China SeaQiliang Sun0Tiago M. Alves1Xiangyang Lu2Chuanxu Chen3Xinong Xie4College of Marine Science and Technology China University of Geosciences Wuhan China3D Seismic Lab, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UKCollege of Marine Science and Technology China University of Geosciences Wuhan ChinaSanya Institute of Deep‐sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences Sanya ChinaCollege of Marine Science and Technology China University of Geosciences Wuhan ChinaAbstract Submarine slope failure can mobilize large amounts of seafloor sediment, as shown in varied offshore locations around the world. Submarine landslide volumes are usually estimated by mapping their tops and bases on seismic data. However, two essential components of the total volume of failed sediments are overlooked in most estimates: (a) the volume of subseismic turbidites generated during slope failure and (b) the volume of shear compaction occurring during the emplacement of failed sediment. In this study, the true volume of a large submarine landslide in the northern South China Sea is estimated using seismic, multibeam bathymetry and Ocean Drilling Program/Integrated Ocean Drilling Program well data. The submarine landslide was evacuated on the continental slope and deposited in an ocean basin connected to the slope through a narrow moat. This particular character of the sea floor provides an opportunity to estimate the amount of strata remobilized by slope instability. The imaged volume of the studied landslide is ~1035 ± 64 km3, ~406 ± 28 km3 on the slope and ~629 ± 36 km3 in the ocean basin. The volume of subseismic turbidites is ~86 km3 (median value), and the volume of shear compaction is ~100 km3, which are ~8.6% and ~9.7% of the landslide volume imaged on seismic data, respectively. This study highlights that the original volume of the failed sediments is significantly larger than that estimated using seismic and bathymetric data. Volume loss related to the generation of landslide‐related turbidites and shear compaction must be considered when estimating the total volume of failed strata in the submarine realm.https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076484South China Seasubmarine slope failuremass‐transport depositsvolume balanceshear compaction |
| spellingShingle | Qiliang Sun Tiago M. Alves Xiangyang Lu Chuanxu Chen Xinong Xie True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea Geophysical Research Letters South China Sea submarine slope failure mass‐transport deposits volume balance shear compaction |
| title | True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea |
| title_full | True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea |
| title_fullStr | True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea |
| title_short | True Volumes of Slope Failure Estimated From a Quaternary Mass‐Transport Deposit in the Northern South China Sea |
| title_sort | true volumes of slope failure estimated from a quaternary mass transport deposit in the northern south china sea |
| topic | South China Sea submarine slope failure mass‐transport deposits volume balance shear compaction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076484 |
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